Who We Are

Committed to making a difference in Cedar Grove through compassionate outreach and acceptance of all people

Our Mission

Following Jesus Christ’s example, Common Ground Community, Inc., is committed to making a difference in Cedar Grove through compassionate outreach and acceptance of all people. We serve and build lasting relationships with our neighbors in Cedar Grove who may be hungry or lacking in other basic needs. We are primarily volunteer driven with volunteers from many churches, schools, businesses, and civic organizations from all over the Shreveport-Bossier-Benton region.

New things are happening all the time! We invite you to drop by one day and see for yourself what God is doing in our Cedar Grove community.

For more information about what is going on at Common Ground, see Common Ground’s Annual Report and Common Ground’s 990.

Our History & Mission

Humble Beginnings

Although some of our volunteers have been working in the Cedar Grove community for almost 30 years, Common Ground was incorporated in 2004. Common Ground started as an outreach program of Grace Community United Methodist Church, and Brian Hunter, who was missions chairperson at Grace, came to Faith United Methodist Church to explore how the two churches could partner. Soon, the Kitchen Angels were helping with a community meal and after-school tutoring at Faith.

A Vision Takes Root

In 2002, a group including Tania Lang and Brian Hunter traveled to Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco to learn how Grace could implement some of Glide’s outreach ministries. They returned inspired and began putting those ideas into practice in Cedar Grove. As they spent more time in the neighborhood and built relationships, they fell in love with the community.

Building a Permanent Home

When the property across the street from Faith became available, the group made a remarkable decision. At a time in life when many people might have purchased vacation homes or lake houses, they instead invested in Cedar Grove by purchasing what is now known as the Bright House, the neighboring yellow house, and the community garden property.

The community meal, after-school program, food pantry, and clothes closet that had operated at Faith moved across the street into the Bright House.

Growing Our Campus

In June 2010, one year after Faith Church closed, the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church donated the 25,000-square-foot building to Common Ground. Thanks to the generosity of local foundations and countless hours of volunteer labor, the first phase of renovations was completed in 2011.

The Bright House ministries soon moved into the larger facility, complete with a fully renovated kitchen. In May 2021, the renovation of the “Two Story” building added classrooms and a computer lab. The former sanctuary became a true multi-purpose space, hosting everything from Christmas Markets and weddings to Thursday night chapel services and basketball practice.

Today, our campus includes Bright House 1, Bright House 2, Bright House 3, two “JJ Houses,” an Education Building, a renovated greenhouse, and more.

Serving Cedar Grove Today

Our Thursday evening ministry remains at the heart of Common Ground. Each week we gather for chapel, share a community meal, and open our food market.

Our ministries continue to grow and now include:

Partnerships with Atkins Elementary to support students and staff
A youth program serving more than 40 middle and high school boys, using basketball as a pathway to mentoring, education, and enrichment
A dedicated program for middle and high school girls
A free summer day camp where children learn, create, and grow in a safe, caring environment
Wednesday afternoon enrichment programs for children
HiSET classes for older teens through our partnership with Bossier Parish Community College

Looking Ahead

New things are happening all the time at Common Ground. We invite you to stop by, meet our community, and see for yourself what God is doing in Cedar Grove.